Summary

  • Kent Spitfires beat Birmingham Bears by 21 runs

  • Kent made 162-7 after Bears won toss and bowl

  • Half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Billings; Tim Bresnan took four wickets

  • Bears fall short as they are bowled out for 141; Matt Milnes takes 4-24

  • Kent join Sussex Sharks, Hampshire Hawks and Somerset at Finals Day

  • Hampshire v Somerset and Kent v Sussex in semi-finals at Edgbaston on Saturday, 18 September

  1. wicket

    WICKET Blake c Benjamin b Bresnan 8published at 16.4 overs

    Kent 127-5

    And one of those balls looks to do the trick again for the Bears...

    Sam Billings gets some joy earlier in the over with a one-bounce straight four over his head.

    But Alex Blake miscues one down to fine leg a couple of balls later where Chris Benjamin does hang on this time.

  2. Postpublished at 20:06 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Ben Watts
    on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    The pitch looks a bit two-paced. The visitors have had joy with their cutters into the pitch.

  3. Postpublished at 20:05 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Tim Bresnan back on for his third over...

  4. Postpublished at 20:04 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Matt Cole
    on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That was a brilliant attempt by Benjamin. It was extraordinary he got a hand to it on the run. He got his left hand to it and it was almost in there.

  5. Kent 121-4published at 20:04 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Billings 33, Blake 7

    Jake Lintott sends down his final over.

    Sam Billings tries to pierce the legside field on a couple of occasions, but Bears have sweepers on the rope.

    Alex Blake gets into gear and lofts one legside that is almost taken a diving Chris Benjamin on the line but just out of his reach as it dribbles for four.

    Lintott wicketless but concedes just 32 from his four overs.

  6. Kent 112-4published at 15 overs

    Billings 31, Blake 0

    Kent counter punch with back-to-back boundaries from Sam Billings to finish that Craig Miles over.

    Five to go.

  7. Postpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Ben Watts
    on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Seven off 12 from Jack Leaning and he has chewed up two overs there. He just never got used to the pace of the wicket.

  8. wicket

    WICKET Leaning c&b Miles 7published at 14.4 overs

    Kent 104-4

    Oh wow! What a piece of cricket this is from Craig Miles!

    Jack Leaning struggles to time the short ball and after an escape the previous ball he again spoons one high into the legside.

    Looks like he might survive until Miles off his own bowling sprints and at full-stretch takes a superb catch inches from the ground to dismiss him.

    Brilliant stuff!

  9. Kent 102-3published at 14 overs

    Billings 23, Leaning 5

    Jake Lintott with another over and he almost has another run out.

    Jack Leaning this time was the man in danger at the non-striker's end, but he gets home safely after Lintott can't quite gather Danny Briggs' throw in time.

    Sam Billings also somehow survives after Lintott turns one past him but Michael Burgess misses the stumping opportunity.

    Kent count their blessings and nudge past 100 with six overs to go.

  10. Postpublished at 19:55 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Leaning is taking his time to settle down because it has a bit of a chaotic feel out there at the moment.

  11. Kent 97-3published at 13 overs

    Briggs 4-0-30-0

    Bears buoyed by that wicket of Daniel Bell-Drummond.

    Danny Briggs rattles through the last of his four overs as new man Jack Leaning settles in with a couple of singles.

    Briggs with four useful overs there.

  12. Postpublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That's what you get when a teacher is playing cricket. Lintott doesn't have to do his lines tonight!

  13. wicket

    WICKET Bell-Drummond run out 53published at 11.5 overs

    Kent 94-3

    Brilliant quick-thinking from Jake Lintott to break this partnership.

    Sam Billings had smashed the ball back to the stumps at the bowler's end and broken them.

    Daniel Bell-Drummond was backing up and was out of his crease, but the ball ricochets straight to Lintott who knew that he had to take the stumps out of the ground with ball in hand to run him out and after a look on the replay, he got there just in time.

    Ends a very promising innings from Bell-Drummond and that big partnership.

  14. Postpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Ben Watts
    on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    I've heard one or two comments that he's been out of form, but when he plays for Kent, Daniel Bell-Drummond is always in form.

  15. Postpublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Jake Lintott returns for a second over for the Bears....

  16. Kent 86-2published at 11 overs

    Nine overs to go in Kent's innings.

    Daniel Bell-Drummond with a chance here to bat deep and his side will need it if they want to get up to around 170-180.

  17. Postpublished at 19:44 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    With no Darren Stevens tonight, I'm booing as a neutral on behalf of the nation!

  18. 50 runs

    50 for Daniel Bell-Drummondpublished at 10.5 overs

    Kent 85-2

    Fifty up for Bell-Drummond.

    It's come off 35 balls and included a four and three big sixes.

  19. Postpublished at 19:42 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Bit of a delay as that ball went flying into the retirement flats on the Old Dover Road side of the ground.

    Bell-Drummond three runs away from a half-century now...

  20. 6 runs

    Kent 82-2published at 10.2 overs

    Big slog sweep six for Daniel Bell-Drummond off Chris Woakes into the legside.

    The home crowd enjoyed that!